Carton setting-up dies



Nov. 13, 1962 A. M. SIMPSON 3,063,348

CARTON SETTING-UP DIES Filed Sept. 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor ALFRED M. SiM PsoN A tlorney;

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1961 w \mw mm W mq ALFRED M- SIM PSON Byy A Home y United States Patent 3,063,348 CARTON SETTING-UP DIES Alfred Mouncy Simpson, Park North, Swindon, England, assignor to The Metal Box Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Sept. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 135,894 Claims priority, application Great Britain Oct. 18, 1960 7 Claims. (CI. 93-51) This invention relates to carton setting-up dies and in particular to die apparatus in which two dies are disposed in tandem to permit two cartons to be set up simultaneously one in each die.

Apparatus of the kind above-mentioned is employed to increase the rate of output of a carton setting-up machine as compared with that of a machine which uses only one die but the use of twin dies as used heretofore increases the number of change parts required when changing over from one carton size to another and the previously proposed twin die apparatus is not readily adjustable to permit one size of carton to be set up in one die while another size of carton is set up in the other of the dies. It is an object of the present invention to provide a twin die apparatus which is not subject to these disadvantages of the twin die apparatus previously employed.

According to the invention there is provided die apparatus for use in setting-up cartons from blanks, cornprising two dies each of which includes two opposed fixed walls and two opposed sides movable towards and away from each other, the movable sides being parallel and aligned with each other, connecting rods connecting one movable side of one die to one movable side of the other die for movement therewith and the second movable side of said one die to the second movable side of the other die, and actuating means co-operating with one movable side of each die and operable to effect movement of the movable sides of the respective dies simultaneously towards and away from each other.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of apparatus according to the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a top plan of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a section on line III--I-II, FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 4 is a section on line IV-IV, FIGURE 1.

Referring to the drawings, carton blanks, not shown, to be set up are deposited by any desired form of blank feeding mechanism, not shown, on supports 1 and are located by stops 2. Plungers 3 illustrated diagrammatically in FGURE 1, are reciprocable lengthwise of pillars 4, FIGURE 2, and are arranged, in known manner, to move the blanks from the supports 1 into the setting-up dies described below.

Each setting-up die consists of two opposed fixed walls 5, 6, 5a, 6a, FIGURE 2, and a pair of opposed movable sides 7, 8; 7a, 8a, which may be provided with cartridge heater elements 9. The sides 7, 8a and 7a, 8 are parallel and aligned with each other as can be seen in FIGURE 2 and are connected by pairs of horizontal rods 10, 11 and a, lila, respectively which are slidable axially in bearings 12, 13 and 12, 14. As can be seen from FIGURE 2, the outer side 8 is connected with the inner side 7a and the outer side 8a is connected with the inner side 7. The rods are each provided with an abutment member 15 which is secured thereto by a taper pin 16-, FIGURE 2, and screws 17, 18 extend respectively from the die sides 8, 8a through the members 15 and each screw is fitted with a nut 19. U-shaped distance pieces 20 are fitted 3,063,348 Patented Nov. 13., 1962 over the rods and extend between the members 15 and the die sides 8, 8a to determine the spacing between the movable sides 7, 8 and 7a, 8a.

If, as is shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus is conditioned to set up identical cartons in each of the dies and it is desired to change over to setting up identical cartons having a different width, that is considered between the die sides 7, 8 and 7a, 8a, all that is necessary in order to elfect the change over is to replace the two spacers 20a by two spacers 20a the length of which is appropriate to the new size of carton.

On the other hand, if cartons of different width are to be set up-in both of the dies then it is necessary to replace each of the four distance pieces 20 and each of the spacers 20a by appropriate alternative distance pieces and spacers.

A third possibility is that a change of carton size 1s to be effected only in one of the dies, for example the right-hand die, FIG. 2, in which event the right-hand spacer 20a is changed together with the two left-hand distance pieces 20. I

Lengt-hwise adjustment of the rods 10a, 11a consequent upon the changing of spacers 20 is effected by the nuts 19, axial movement of the rods relative to the movable sides 7, 8 being permittedby reason of the rods 10a, 11a passing freely therethrough, only the rods 10, 11 being secured to the side 8. The rods 10, 11 secured ,to the movable side 7 pass freely through the sides 7a, 8a.

In the event that the length of the dies, that is considered between the walls 5, 6 and 5a, 6a, is to be changed the relative position of these walls is adjusted or alternatively these walls are replaced by alternative walls.

Following the movement of carton blanks into the dies the sides 7, 8 and 7a, 8a are respectively moved slightly towards each other to press together overlying portions of the blank which are to be adhered to each other and this is effected by cams 21, FIGURE 2, only one of which is shown in the drawings, the cams being rotated by a shaft 22 which is driven in timed relation with the reciprocating movements of the plungers =3. Cams 21 rock presser "arms 23 about pivots 124 therefor thus causing lengthwise movement of an adjustable pusher member 24, FIGURE 3, to be imparted through compression spring 25 to the outer side 8 or 8a, as appropriate. It is to be understood that although a cam 21 and arm 23 is shown only at the right hand side of FIGURE 2 a similar cam and arm is provided at the left hand side of the figure for effecting movements of the outer side 8:: and the inner side 7 connected thereto by the rods 10, 11. Due to the connection therebetween by rods 10, 11; 10a, 11a movement is imparted simultaneously to the sides 8, 7a and 8a, 7. The stroke of thepusher members 24 is adjusted according to the lengths of the distance pieces 20, 20a in use and which extend between adjusting nuts 26 on screw-threaded rods 27 which pass through the members 24 and collars secured to the rods. The outer ends of the rods are engaged by the arms 23. Excess pressure which may be imparted to rods 27 by the cams 21 is accommodated by the springs 25 but as an additional precaution the rods 10, 11 and 10a, 11a are connected to the sides 7, 7a through shoulder screws 28, FIGURES 1 and 2, which provide a space 29 bet-ween the ends of the rods and the die sides and together with springs 3%) permit a small amount of lost motion between the die sides and the rods when pressure is fully applied to set up cartons in the dies.

From the foregoing it will be understood that there is provided a twin die apparatus in which for a predetermined range of dilferent carton sizes the only change parts necessary are die walls 5, 5a, 6, 6a, and distance pieces 20, 20a, and in which movement of the sides 7, 8a, 8a, 7 towards and away from each other is etfected simultaneously. It will be further understood that by selection of the length of the distance pieces 20, 20a, the apparatus can be conditioned so that cartons of diiferent sizes can be simultaneously set up in the dies 5, 6, 7, 8 and 5a, 6a, 7a, 8a.

I claim:

1. Die apparatus for use in setting-up cartons from blanks, comprising two dies each of which includes two opposed fixed walls and two opposed sides movable towards and away from each other, the movable sides being parallel and aligned with each other, connecting rods connecting one movable side of one die to one movable side of the other die for movement therewith and the second movable side of said one die to the second movable side of the other die, and actuating means cooperating with one movable side of each die and operable to effect movement of the movable sides of the respective dies simultaneously towards and away from. each other.

2. Die apparatus according to claim 1, including interchangeable distance pieces co-operating with said connecting rods to determine the spacing between the movable sides of the dies.

3. Die apparatus according to claim 1, including interchangeable U-shaped distance pieces fitted over each connecting rod and extending between a movable die side through which the connecting rod passes and an abutment member secured to the connecting rod, adjusting screws secured to said movable die sides and passing through the abutment members, and nuts screwed on to the adjusting screws and co-operating with the abutment members to effect clamping of the U-shaped distance pieces between the movable die sides and the abutment members.

4. Die apparatus according to claim 1 in which the actuating means includes for each die a rotatable cam, a pivoted arm rockable by said cam, and an adjustable pusher member co-operating with one movable side of the die and openable by said arm to elfect movement of said one die side towards and away from the other movable side of the die.

5. Die apparatus according to claim 1 in which the actuating means includes for each die a rotatable cam, a pivoted arm rockable by said cam, a screw-threaded rod one end of which is engaged by said arm for axial movement thereby, a pusher member surrounding said screwthreaded rod and located between a compression spring co-operating with said one die side and a nut screwed on to the rod, an abutment secured to the rod, and a spacer element disposed about the rod and clamped against the abutment by said nut.

6. Die apparatus according to claim 3 in which the actuating means includes for each die a rotatable cam, a pivoted arm rockable by said cam, and an adjustable pusher member co-operating with one movable side of the die and operable by said arm to effect movement of said one die side towards and away from the other movable side of the die.

7. Die apparatus according to claim 3 in which the actuating means includes for each die a rotatable cam, a pivoted arm rockable by said cam, a screw-threaded rod one end of which is engaged by said arm for axial movement thereby, a pusher member surrounding said screwthreaded rod and located between a compression spring co-operating with said one die side and a nut screwed on to the rod, an abutment secured to the rod, and a spacer element disposed about the rod and clamped against the abutment by said nut.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

